Bikesure_adrianflux

Mini indicator bulbs

walkingpictures

walkingpictures

preneolithic frebie
Joined
Sep 2, 2002
Messages
497
Location
Cambridge
Bike
S4Rs
Ok,my Monster has mini indicators with BLB28 bulbs in them.

I've found supposedly compatible LED equivalents on t'interweb thingy but are they plug and play these days.As I remember you had to faff around with resistors to make LED's work.

Answers on a postcard,or on here,please.

Kimbo
 
Dunno about the latest situation but 6 or 7 years ago I swapped the std bulb type indicators on my M750 for some Ducati led units as fitted to the v2 panigale at the time.
I used an adjustable flasher relay and the system works fine without the need for any resistors.
The adjustable flasher relay I used was also the same physical dimensions as the original item and so it could simply be fitted into the original rubber relay holder. Dunno whether your S4RS will have the same holder though. Also, these rubber holders tend to perish ... I'm already on my second one and it only survives by being held together with multiple cable ties, so be prepared for that.
I couldn't find the actual relay that I used in my ebay purchase history but it looked very much like this one.

 
Still no plug & play. Do yours have good reflectors in them? That helps a lot regardless of bulb type. LED bulbs usually seem bright when close, but I've only ever once seen a LED light that gets NOTICED from some distance (on a GS). "Bright" is not enough. We need to be "NOTICED" and for that good reflectors is the thing.
 
utopia said:
Dunno about the latest situation but 6 or 7 years ago I swapped the std bulb type indicators on my M750 for some Ducati led units as fitted to the v2 panigale at the time.
I used an adjustable flasher relay and the system works fine without the need for any resistors.
The adjustable flasher relay I used was also the same physical dimensions as the original item and so it could simply be fitted into the original rubber relay holder. Dunno whether your S4RS will have the same holder though. Also, these rubber holders tend to perish ... I'm already on my second one and it only survives by being held together with multiple cable ties, so be prepared for that.
I couldn't find the actual relay that I used in my ebay purchase history but it looked very much like this one.

Click to expand...
My memory is failing me here but someone did me a 3D printed one from a drawing I sent them - cant think who it was though but its much tougher than stock and wont break
 
stopintime said:
Still no plug & play. Do yours have good reflectors in them? That helps a lot regardless of bulb type. LED bulbs usually seem bright when close, but I've only ever once seen a LED light that gets NOTICED from some distance (on a GS). "Bright" is not enough. We need to be "NOTICED" and for that good reflectors is the thing.
Click to expand...
Yep,reflectors work well considering they are mini indicators (y)
 
Ah, I didn't pay enough attention to your original post and as a result I focussed only on the flasher unit.
I was actually assuming that you were fitting full led replacement indicators rather than just bulbs.
My earlier response still stands but I would also add that the serious issue that I have found when replacing any incandescent bulbs with led "bulb" units (be that in indicators, rear lights or in particular headlights) is that in almost all cases the position and direction of the led light source is not compatible with the reflector in the original unit. That is to say, no matter how good the condition of the original reflector, it will probably not work at all well with an led "bulb" unit.
The only successful led conversion of original units that I have achieved was using a circuit-board array of (perhaps 30 or more) red led's which replaced the reflector entirely in my tail light. This gave a light source across the whole area of the light unit, rather than the very limited source area given by an led "bulb", and it works very well indeed, producing an output which is only slightly brighter than the original but which has a much deeper colour which extends across the full area of the lens rather than being brighter in the centre. The end result is that its much more visible without being annoyingly bright. Dunno where it came from ... it was given to me by Capo.
For this reason I would avoid "upgrading" to led "bulbs" in original equipment but would instead either leave well enough alone or replace the entire units with ones designed for led's. This was why I fitted the Panigale led indicators to my bike.

Ben ... that's interesting info .... and now that you mention it, I think I recall.
I might look into that.
It would be worth getting a batch done I reckon.
Do you remember any details of the material used ?
 
It was Rob who printed your relay holder. I don't remember what the material was, some kind of rubber like plastic.
I'm not sure if there was ever a thread on here about it, but I remember Rob keeping me up to date with it as I was interested in all sorts of 3D printing at the time, and indeed I'm embarking on another little project with my nephew for some printed badges right now.

As for LED indicators; I don't think they have hit the mark yet and I don't bother with them as they never work as well as conventional hot bulbs.
That said my 2020 bike has them as original equipment and they do work well. So they should too.
Aftermarket and "conversion" led indicators just don't cut it and are not worth the effort and expense.
I want to be seen indicating and also see the 2@ in my path trying to change course.. There's some pretty poor set ups out there!
 
Some good thoughts there,thankyou.While everything is stiill working I'm quite happy to leave well alone and indeed have found,if needed,some replacement bulbs.

I also remember someone making an led replacement rear light but have no idea who it was.

Thanks again

Kimbo
 
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